Apparatus for incinerating kelp and like materials.



' s. JR. UPPENHEIM CINERATING KELP AND LIKE MATERIALS. Y APPLICATION FILED JUNE 7| |91?- MPARATUS FOR VIN vPatented 00h 22,11918# .tion or charring requiring minimum expenditure of fuel and enabling extremely rapid and economical incineration of the kelp.

Another object of the invention is to pro- Y vide for continual removal of the incinerated or charred material from thefurnace in such manner as to preventJ combustion of any carbon or char remainingl in such material. i

A further object `of the invention is' to facilitate the utilization of volatile by products, such as ammonia, tar. and creosote.

The accompanying drawings illustrate an embodiment of my invention and referring thereto:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the incinerator with the gas scrubber connected thereto, parts of the apparatus being shown in section. i

Fig. 2 is an end elevation with parts broken away.

Referring to the drawings, the incinerator shown, comprises a furnace having closed side, top and end walls of masonry or other suitable material and formed with any desired number of elongated horizontally extending incinerating chambers 2, and closed at each end by the end walls 3. Charging doors 6, are provided in the roof or top of each chamber 2. Each chamber is provided at one side with' any desired number of iring doors- 9 in its side wall 4. A gas outlet main 10 extends vertically at one end of the furnace and hastwo ducts 11 and 12 extending into the chamber 2 at diiferent heights and is also connected to a branch main 13 extending alongside the furnace and having ducts 15, extending into an elongated longitudinally extending chamber or ash pit 19 below the chamber 2, a number of dumping grates 20 being preferably provided at the bottom of chamber 2 and over the chamber 19, so as' to support the kelp in lchamber 2.., Duets or branch pipes 15 are Specification of Letters Patent.

Vof the incinerated Patented @mit 22, 191i@ Application ledxJune 7, 1917. Serial No. 173,371.

provided with closure means The bottom of each chamber 19 is formed with inclined side walls so as to form a trough, and in the bottom of said trough a screw conveyer' 23 operates, said screw con- Veyer extending the 'full length of the furnace and being preferably prolonged at one end, so as to extend outside of the ash pit and within a, casing 25, to enable cooling material, such as ash or char, before it is exposed to the air, said casing being partly water-jacketed, as at 25'.

The gas outlet main 10 may be connected to any suitable means for drawing 0H' the gases and means are preferably provided or removing tar or other valuable materials from the gases. For this purpose, said main may be connected to the washer indircated at 28, consistin of a closed tank hav ing partitions or bafge plates 29 and 30 ex tending alternately from its top and bottom so as to cause the gas passing through the scrubber to take a tortuous path between said partitions and over water or liquid indicated at 31 in the bottom of the tank. An outlet pipe 32 leads from said tank to a fan or blower 33 for maintaining draft through the apparatus and forcing the gases to an outlet flue 34. The branch pipe 13 aforesaid, is

preferably given a slight dip toward the discharge end, so that any taror other material condensed therein will drain ofi' to the washer. l

The operation is as follows: The kelp or other material t0 be incinerated is charged into the chambers 2, through the doors 6, which are then closed, and suitable liquid fuel such as distillate, is sprayed on to the top of the mass of kelp, by means of a hose, or otherwise, the streams and jets of liquid fuel from such hose being applied through the furnace doors 9, which are opened sui. iiciently for that purpose, as well as for admitting air for combustion, and fan 33 is operated to draw air through the chamber 2, such air passing trom suitable openings left in the fire doors v9 or elsewhere, and passing first through one or both of the upper ducts 11 and 12 until the nre is well started, said ducts being then shut 0E by their valves 11 and 12 and the valves for ducts 15 being opened so that the air is drawn downwardly through the mass of kelp in chamber 2 and out through ducts 15, so that the whole body of kelp is eventually burned to convert it either to char or to ash or gates 15.

as may be desired. 'Ihe het gases resulting from this combustion pass o' through the washer 28, wherein any solid or liquid material carried in such gases is collected, and said gases are then discharged through blower 33 and outlet flue 34. In passing between the baes 29 and 30 of the washer, the rapidly moving gases are forced into contact with the water in said washer, and more or less inthe trough 21 in 2, and is continually the casing' 25, wherein' agitation of the water is thereby produced,

lso that effective contact of the gas with the The ash or char collects the bottom of chamber forced out by screw water is secured.

pit, said combustion chamber being provided with charging doors in its top and lwith {iring doors in its side, and said ash pit having its bottom formed as a trough' and a conveyer working in said trough to move the ash or char longitudinally therein and discharge same from the furnace, a gas outlet conduit having valved communication with the combustion chamber, and valved communcationwith the ash pit, whereby Vgases may be drawndirectly from the combustion chamber, or from the ash pit so as 'communication with the ash pit, gases may be drawn directly from the comto cause downdraft through the material on the grate, a washing means connected to said conduit for collecting material carried over .f an exhaust ian connected to draw the gases through said with the gases therein, and

conduit and washing means.

2. An apparatus for incinerating or charring kelp or like material comprising a iurnace provided with an elongated horizon` tally extending combustion chamber, an elongated horizontally extending ash pit below said combustionV chamber, and a grate between said combustion chamber and ash pit, said combustion chamber lbeing provided with charging doors in with firing doors in its side, and said ash its top and pit having its bottom formed as a trough and a conveyer working in said trough t0 move .the ash or char longitudinally therein and discharge same from the Jfurnace, a gas outlet conduit having valved communication with the combustion chamber,` and valved whereby bustion chamber, or from the ash pit so as to cause downdraft through the material on the grate, a washing means connec to said conduit for collecting material carried over with the gases therein, and an exhaust fan connected to draw the gases through said conduit and washing means, said conduit being inclined downwardly from its connection with the ash pit toward the washer to cause liquid material therein to drain 'to the washer.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand at Keeler, California, this 21st day of May, 1917.

SIMON RUDOLPH OPPENHEIM. 

